Energy
Visualizing America’s Changing Energy Mix (1970 – 2030e)
Visualizing America’s Changing Energy Mix
What powers the U.S., and how that mix is evolving over time.
The Chart of the Week is a weekly Visual Capitalist feature on Fridays.
Today’s chart plots data from the Energy Information Administration (EIA) to show America’s changing energy mix, along with their projected mix for 2030.
It shows the total amount of energy used each year, along with energy use per capita. It then breaks down each year’s energy supply by source, which provides another way for us to visualize the decline of coal use, the resurgence in natural gas, and the rise of renewable energy.
Energy use per capita is measured in “gallons of gasoline equivalent per day”, which we thought was easy to relate to. (For our metric friends, a U.S. gallon is just less than four litres.)
Here’s the data:
| Year | Energy used (Quadrillion BTUs) | U.S. Population (millions) | Gallons of gas eq. (per day) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 67.8 | 209.5 | 7.1 |
| 1985 | 76.4 | 240.7 | 7.0 |
| 2000 | 98.8 | 282.9 | 7.7 |
| 2015 | 97.3 | 321.8 | 6.6 |
| 2030e | 98.7 | 355.8 | 6.1 |
Here’s energy supply by source from 1970-2030. Projected data from 2030 is from the EIA as well.
| Year | Coal | Gas | Petroleum | Nuclear | Hydro | Solar | Wind | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1970 | 18.1% | 32.1% | 43.5% | 0.4% | 3.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 2.0% |
| 1985 | 22.9% | 23.2% | 40.5% | 5.3% | 3.9% | 0.0% | 0.0% | 4.2% |
| 2000 | 22.8% | 24.1% | 38.7% | 8.0% | 2.8% | 0.1% | 0.1% | 3.4% |
| 2015 | 16.0% | 29.0% | 36.6% | 8.6% | 2.4% | 0.4% | 1.8% | 5.3% |
| 2030e | 11.7% | 30.8% | 36.3% | 8.1% | 3.0% | 1.1% | 4.7% | 4.3% |
Interestingly, solar and wind only make up about 2% of energy today according to the EIA, and they are projected to combine for 6% by 2030.
Various organizations have criticized these numbers, suggesting that the EIA is not properly accounting for green energy in America – and that it actually supplies a much bigger part of the energy mix.
Energy
5 Ways Nuclear Power Can Enable an Energy Utopia
From clean electricity to high reliability, this graphic explores the five key advantages of nuclear power in the clean energy transition.
5 Ways Nuclear Power Can Enable an Energy Utopia
The phrase Energy utopia describes a hypothetical and sustainable state of the world where energy is clean, affordable, and accessible.
Despite the challenges on the road to achieving an energy utopia, such a state is attainable if the world invests in clean, reliable technologies that can meet our rising energy needs—and nuclear power is one such technology.
This infographic sponsored by CanAlaska Uranium explores five ways nuclear power can unlock a state of energy utopia. This is Part 2 of 4 in the Road to Energy Utopia series.
#1: High Reliability
Nuclear power plants run 24/7 and are the most reliable source of sustainable energy.
Nuclear electricity generation remains steady around the clock throughout the day, week, and year. Meanwhile, daily solar generation peaks in the afternoon when electricity demand is usually lower, and wind generation depends on wind speeds.
As the use of variable solar and wind power increases globally, nuclear offers a stable and reliable backbone for a clean electricity grid.
#2: Clean Electricity
Nuclear reactors use fission to generate electricity without any greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.
Consequently, nuclear power is the cleanest energy source on a lifecycle basis, measured in CO2-equivalent emissions per gigawatt-hour (GWh) of electricity produced by a power plant over its lifetime.
The lifecycle emissions from a typical nuclear power plant are 273 times lower than coal and 163 times lower than natural gas. Furthermore, nuclear is relatively less resource-intensive, allowing for lower supply chain emissions than wind and solar plants.
#3: Stable Affordability
Although nuclear plants can be expensive to build, they are cost-competitive in the long run.
Most nuclear plants have an initial lifetime of around 40 years, after which they can continue operating with approved lifetime extensions. Nuclear plants with lifetime extensions are the cheapest sources of electricity in the United States, and 88 of the country’s 92 reactors have received approvals for 20-year extensions.
Additionally, according to the World Nuclear Association, nuclear plants are relatively less susceptible to fuel price volatility than natural gas plants, allowing for stable costs of electricity generation.
#4: Energy Efficiency
Nuclear’s high energy return on investment (EROI) exemplifies its exceptional efficiency.
EROI measures how many units of energy are returned for every unit invested in building and running a power plant, over its lifetime. According to a 2018 study by Weissbach et al., nuclear’s EROI is 75 units, making it the most efficient energy source by some distance, with hydropower ranking second at 35 units.
#5: Sustainable Innovation
New, advanced reactor designs are bypassing many of the difficulties faced by traditional nuclear plants, making nuclear power more accessible.
- Small Modular Reactors (SMRs) are much smaller than conventional reactors and are modular—meaning that their components can be transported and assembled in different locations.
- Microreactors are smaller than SMRs and are designed to provide electricity in remote and small market areas. They can also serve as backup power sources during emergencies.
These reactor designs offer several advantages, including lower initial capital costs, portability, and increased scalability.
A Nuclear-Powered Future
Nuclear power is making a remarkable comeback as countries work to achieve climate goals and ultimately, a state of energy utopia.
Besides the 423 reactors in operation worldwide, another 56 reactors are under construction, and at least 69 more are planned for construction. Some nations, like Japan, have also reversed their attitudes toward nuclear power, embracing it as a clean and reliable energy source for the future.
CanAlaska is a leading exploration company in the Athabasca Basin, the Earth’s richest uranium depository. Click here to learn more now.
In part 3 of the Road to Energy Utopia series, we explore the unique properties of uranium, the fuel that powers nuclear reactors.
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